The news supports the widely-held belief that Hernandez wasn’t close to 100% in the team’s playoff loss to the Jets. Hernandez sat out Weeks 16 and 17 with a hip injury before suiting up for the playoff game.

He finished his rookie year with 563 yards and six touchdowns, but was losing playing time to Rob Gronkowski and Alge Crumpler even before the final two weeks.

Gronkowski and Hernandez’s roles in New England’s flexible offense only figure to grow next year.